Reel mechanism



June 26, 1962 M. BLEILER REEL MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 2,1961 FIG.

INVENTOR. MANDUS BLEILER ATTORNEY June 26, 1962 Filed March 2, 1961 M.BLEILER REEL MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

MANDUS BLEILER Y B w ATTORNEY June 26, 1962 M. L L 3,041,045

REEL MECHANISM Filed March 2, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG 5 INVENTOR.

MANDUS BLEILER ATTORNEY M. BLEILER REEL MECHANISM June 26, 1962 5Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 2, 1961 INVENTOR.

MANDUS BLEILER ATTORNEY M. BLEILER REEL. MECHANISM June 26, 1962 5Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 2, 1961 INVENTOR.

MAN DUS BLEILER ATTORNEY United States Patent ()flice Patented June 26,1962 3,041,045 REEL MECHANISM Mandus Bleiler, 404 Brady St, Elkhart,Ind. Filed Mar. 2, 1961, Ser. No. 92,987 Claims. (Cl. 254-185) Thepresent invention relates to reels and more particularly to acombination reel and control mechanism for weighing and lowering a boatanchor.

In fishing from small boats such as conventional outboard motor boats,it is often necessary or desirable to anchor the boat from both the bowand stern to prevent the boat from whipping and floating from thepreferred place for the fishing line. Since these boats are often smalland frequenly overcrowded with fishing equipment and with occupants atboth ends of the boat, manipulating the rope or cable for raising andlowering one anchor is diflicult and sometimes hazardous, in that therope or cable is permitted to lie in tangled coils or loops on thebottom of the boat, often around or near the legs of the occupants.Consequently, when the anchor is thrown into the water, the one loweringthe anchor may be pulled overboard. The use of conventional reels forthe rope or cable reduces the hazard, but control of the anchor,particularly during the lowering operation, is often diflicult withthose reels. If an anchor is used at both the bow and stern, separateconventional reels are usually impossible to use without the operatorthereof shifting his position in'the boat between the reels, andtogether they are large, bulky and hard to handle, and occupy muchneeded space in the already often overcrowded boat. It is therefore oneof the principal objects of the present invention to provide a reel andcontrol mechanism for raising and lowering anchors at both the bow andstern of the boat, which can conveniently be manipulated to raise andlower both anchors from one natural position in the boat and with theuse of easily operated control levers.

Another object of the invention is to provide a compact, relativelysimple double reel and control mechanism for anchors at both the bow andstern of the boat, which is operated by a single lever to raise bothanchors, and by a pair of separate levers so arranged that both anchorscan be lowered simultaneously, or each one individually at differenttimes.

A further object of the invention is to provide an anchor raising andlowering control device which can be mounted and operated as a singlereel for one anchor or as a double reel for two anchors.

Still another object is to provide a real mechanism of the aforesaidtype which can be mounted permanently in a boat or on the deck thereofin a limited and otherwise unusable space, and thereafter effectivelyoperated by easily reached and manipulated handles.

Another object of the invention is to provide a double reel for raisingand lowering two separate anchors, having a control mechanism completelyenclosed within the reels, and which effectively regulates the rate ofthe lowering of the anchors and which looks the reels individually atany desired anchor location, including their fully raised position.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentfrom the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a small fishing boat having my reeland anchor control device mounted thereon for controlling an anchor atthe bow and another anchor at the stern of the boat;

FIGURE 2 is an end elevational view of the anchor control device shownin FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the anchor control device shownin the preceding figures;

FIGURE 4 is an elevational View of the side opposite that shown inFIGURE 3 of the present anchor control device;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical cross sectional view through the anchor controldevice shown in the preceding figures, taken on'line 5-5 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary elevational view of the present anchor controldevice showing the brake and clutch mechanism therein;

FIGURE 7 is an elevational view of the clutch mechanism of FIGURE 6,showing the clutch in one operating position;

FIGURE 8 is an elevational view of the clutch mechanism of FIGURE 7,showing the unit in an intermediate operating position; and

FIGURE 9 is an elevational view of the clutch and brake mechanism shownin FIGURE 6, showing the clutch and brake in a further operatingposition.

Referring more specifically to the drawings and to FIG- URE 1 inparticular, numeral 10 designates an outboard motor boat of conventionalshape and construction, having mounted thereon, on a seat 12 near thecenter of the boat, my anchor control device 14 for raising and loweringanchor-s 16 and 18 suspended on cables 20 and 22, respectively. Theanchor control device is secured to seat 12 near one end thereof by aplurality of bolts 24 extending downwardly from the device through theseat,

and the cables leading from the control device pass over sheaves 25 and26 on the device and sheaves 28 and 30 attached to the boat andsupported by fixtures 32 and 34, respectively. The boat 10, anchors 16and 18, and sheaves 28 and 30 are for the purpose of the presentinvention considered conventional and of well known construction anddesign, and will not be described in detail herein. The present anchorcontrol device may be mounted at various locations in the boat, forexample either on seats 36 or 38 or on the bottom of the boat, so longas the operating levers of the device can be conveniently reached andoperated and the cables leading from the device to the sheaves 28 and 30will not meet any undue interference from the boat structure.

The present anchor control device consists of an inverted T-shaped base40 having a vertically extending platedike member 42 joined at itsbottom to a shoe 44, the latter having a plurality of holes forreceiving bolts 24. Two substantially identical reels 48 and 50 aremounted on a hub 52, which in turn extends through plate 42 and issecured rigidly thereto, projecting laterally therefrom to form bearings54 and 56 for reels 48 and 50, respectively. The two reels are retainedon the hub by snap rings 57 and 57'. Hub 52 may be formed integrallywith plate 42 or it may be machined separately and mounted thereon bywelding or by suitable screws, rivets or the like, and contains an axialbore 58 extending therethrough for receiving a longitudinally movableshaft 60, the function of which will be more fully describedhereinafter.

Reel 48 consists of a disc shaped body 70 having a bearing surface '72for seating on bearing 54 of hub 52, and contains two annular flanges 74and 76 forming annular recess '78 for receiving a cable for one of theanchors. A clutch and brake mechanism 80 is mounted on hub 52 within acylindrical recess 84 on the internal side of body 70' and within anannular groove 86 surrounding recess 84 in the inner surface of the reelbody. Reel 50 consists of a disc shaped body 90 having a bearing surface92 for seating on hearing 56 of hub 52, and contains two annular flanges94 and 96 forming annular recess 98 for receiving a cable for the otheranchor. A clutch and brake mechanism 100 is mounted on hub 52 within acylindrical recess 104 on the internal side of J body 90 and within anannular groove 106 surrounding recess 104 in the inner surface of thereel body.

Reels 48 and 50 are rotated to raise the respective anchor by anoperating arm 120 and handle 122, the arm being connected to a discshaped connector plate 124 mounted on the end of shaft 60, and securedthereto by a pin 126 extending through a hub 128 of the connector plateand through the end of shaft 60. Connector plate 124 contains a finger138 projecting inwardly toward the eel and adapted to engage an abutment132 on or in the outer face of reel 48. In order to facilitateengagement between finger 130 and abutment 132, an annular groove 134,spaced outwardly from the center of the reel the same distance as finger130, receives the finger when connector plate 124 is pressed inwardly inthe manner more fully described hereinafter. Mounted on the opposite endof shaft 60 is another connector plate 140 secured to the respective endof the shaft by pin 142 extending through a hub 144 of plate 140 andthrough the end of the shaft. Secured to the periphery of connectorplate 140 is a finger 146 similar to finger 130 for engaging an abutment148 on or in the external surface of reel 50. An annular groove 151} isprovided in the face of reel 50' for receiving the finger as it ispressed inwardly, in the manner more fully described hereinafter, toengage abutment 148. In the particular construction, two separate,diametrically opposed abutments are used on both reels, the additionalones being shown at numerals 132' and 148', both of the abutmentsconsisting of a bar extending across annular groove 150 and secured in arecess 154 by screws 156 and 157. Fingers 130 and 146 preferably containan indentation 158 and 160, respectively, for receiving and firmlyholding the bar shaped abutments 132 and 148 when the fingers are movedinwardly for rotating the respective reels.

Connector plates 124 and 140 and the respective fingers 130 and 146 areheld in their disengaged position from reels 48 and 50 by centralizingspring 162, reacting between hub 52 and plate 124, and spring 164,reacting between the opposite end of hub 52 and plate 140. It is seenfrom this construction that the operator can readily select the reelwhich he wishes to use by merely applying pressure to the right or lefton handle 122, thereby moving shaft 60 longitudinally in bore 58. Forexample, if the operator wishes to wind the cable on reel 48, he pusheshandle 122 to the left, as viewed in FIGURE 5, until finger 130 seats ingroove 134 and engages abutment 132. This operation compresses spring162 but engages finger 130 firmly with abutment 132 as handle 122 isrotated. While the handle is in this position, connector plate 1411 andfinger 146 are complete- 1y disengaged from abutment 148 of reel 50.With the operating arm and handle in this position, the operator canrotate reel 48 freely without any interference from reel 50 or in anyway disturbing the anchor controlled by reel 50. Should the operatorthen desire to raise the anchor controlled by reel 50, he appliespressure to handle 122 to move the handle, arm 1211 and shaft 60 to theright, carrying connector plate 140 with finger 146 into engagement withabutment 148, thereby causing reel 50 to rotate in unison with handle122. Whenever the operator has finished raising the anchor, theconnector fingers 130 and 146 are automatically disengaged fromabutments 132 and 148 by centralizing springs 162 and 164 which returnplates 124 and 140 to the positions shown in FIGURE 5.

The clutch and brake mechanisms for holding the reels in fixed positionwhen the anchors have been raised are identical in construction andoperation. Consequently, only one will be described in detail herein,the parts of the other being identified 'by the same numerals withprimes. Clutch 80 consists of an annular central ring 180 surrounding anenlarged bearing 181, joined rigidly to the hub and held in stationaryposition throughout the operation of the present anchor control device.This ring contains a plurality of tapered slots 182, 184 and 186 forreceiving rollers 188, 190 and 192, respectively, the rollers projectingbeyond the opposite edges of ring 180. These three rollers are movedfrom their disengaged position at the deepest end 194 to the shallowestend 196 of the slot by laterally disposed annular members 198 and 200,each of which contains outwardly facing slots 282, 204 and 206 forreceiving the ends of rollers 188, 190 and 192, respectively. Theseannular members are joined together to form a rigid structure by bolts208, 210 and 212 extending through the members and through slots 214,216 and 218 in ring and through spacers 220, 222 and 224 in slots 214,216 and 218, respectively. Annular members 198 and 208, after beingconnected by the bolts, rotate in unison on bearing 181 and move rollers188, and 192 be tween the deepest position 194 and the shallowest posi'tion 196 of the slots 182, 184 and 186 in ring 180. Rings 198 and 260are urged to the position shown in FIGURE 7 for firmly holding therespective reel in locked position by spring 240 reacting between spacer220 and the edge of slot 214- in ring 180. A lever 242 for rotatingmembers 198 and 200 from the position shown in FIGURE 7, wherein a reelis held in locked position, to its unlocked position shown in FIGURE 8,is joined rigidly to the external side of ring 200 and projectsoutwardly from between reels 48 and 50 where it can be readily graspedby the operator for rotating the annular members in the foregoingmanner. A handle 244 is preferably secured to the outer end of lever 242for convenience in operating the clutch. Clutch 100 is likewise operatedby a handle 246 projecting outwardly from between the two reels inapproximately the same position, and con taining a handle 248 on theouter end thereof for the operator.

In order to control the lowering operation of the anchor, a brake 260 isprovided, consisting of a brake shoe 262 having a friction surface 264secured to the external surface thereof and being anchored on a pin 266secured to base plate 42. Shoe 262 mounted on pin 266' lies in annularrecess 86 and normally is disengaged from the surface 268 of groove 86.However, when it is desired to control the rate at which the anchor islowered, lever 242. is moved in a counter-clockwise direction, as shownin FIGURE 9, to the point where it engages the free end 270 of the shoeand forces the shoe into en gagement with surface 268, therebyeffectively braking the rotation of reel 48. When lever 242 is releasedby the operator, spring 240 urges annular members 198 and 280 in theclockwise direction, thereby releasing brake 266 and returning theclutch into fully engaged position with rollers 188, 190 and 192 locatedin the shallow portion 196 of slots 182, 184 and 186. With the rollersin this position, they are in firm contact with surface 272 of the reelbody.

In the operation of the present anchor control device, the operatoreffectively controls the lowering of the anchor by moving lever 242, asviewed in FIGURE 7, from it fully clutched position in thecounter-clock- Wise direction to an intermediate position as shown inFIGURE 8. In this latter position, rollers 188, 190 and 192 are fullydisengaged from surface 272 so that reel 48 can rotate freely to permitthe anchor to fall of its own weight from the boat downwardly in thewater. However, if the rate at which the anchor is lowered is excessive,the operator merely pushes lever 242 fur ther in the counter-clockwisedirection, as view in FIG- URE 9, contacting end 270 of brake shoe 262and forcing the brake shoe against surface 268 with sufficient force toretard the rotation of reel 48. If desired, he can completely stop therotation of the reel by pressing the brake shoe firmly against saidsurface. After the anchor has been lowered, the operator releases lever242, and spring 240 returns it to its original position andsimultaneously moves rollers 188, 190 and 192 into firm engagethem withsurface 272, and thereby locks reel 48. Reel 50 is operated in the samemanner by the use of lever 246, and hence will not be described indetail herein.

When the operator wishes to raise the anchor controlled by reel 48, hepresses handle 122 and arm 120 to the left, engaging finger 130 withabutment 132. He then rotates the reel in the counter-clockwisedirection, thereby causing rollers 188, 190 and 192 to move from theirlocking position in their respective slots and permitting the reel torotate freely. As soon as the operator releases the handle, slightclockwise movement of the reel causes the rollers to return to theirlocking position in end 196 of the slots. When the operator wishes toraise the anchor controlled by reel 5! handle 122 and arm 120 are movedrightwardly as viewed in FIGURE 5, engaging finger 146 with abutment148. Rotation of handle 122 in the opposite direction from that at whichreel 48 was rotated releases the clutch mechanism in the same manner,permitting the operator to freely wind reel Stl and thereby raise therespective anchor.

While only one form of the present invention has been described indetail herein, various changes may be made to suit requirements. Thedual arrangement is the preferred structure; however, it is possible toutilize a number of the inventive features of the present anchor controldevice without departing from the scope of the present invention.

I claim:

1. A device for controlling two separate anchors, comprising a basehaving a vertical Plate-like support member with a shoe at the bottom, ahub extending transversely from side to side of said support member andjoined rigidly thereto and having an axial hole through said hub, reelsrotatably mounted on said hub on opposite sides of said support member,each of said reels having an axial recess and a concentric annulargroove on the side thereof adjacent said support member, an annular partin said recess rigidly connected to said hub and having a plurality ofcam surfaces, outwardly movable rollers on said surfaces, an oscillatingframe for moving said rollers on said surfaces to engage the peripheralWall of said recess, a lever connected to said frame and projectingbeyond the reel for rotating said frame to retract said rollers fromsaid recess wall, a resileint means for urging said frame in thedirection to seat said rollers on said wall, a brake shoe disposed insaid concentric groove and having a part engageable by said lever forurging said shoe against the peripheral wall of said groove when therollers are retracted, an axially movable shaft extending through thehole in said hub, a radially extending plate on each end of said shaftadjacent the outer surface of the respective reel, a finger on each ofsaid plates extending inwardly toward the respective reel, an abutmenton each reel engageable by the respective finger, a radially extendingarm for rotating said shaft, and springs on said shaft between each reeland the respective plate for axially positioning said shaft and therebydisengaging said fingers from the abutments.

2. A device for controlling two separate anchors, comprising a basehaving a vertical plate-like support member, a hub etxendingtransversely from side to side of said support member and having anaxial hole therethrough, reels rotatably mounted on said hub on oppositesides of said support member, each of said reels having an axial recessand a concentric annular groove on the side thereof adjacent saidsupport member, an annular part in said recess rigidly connected to saidhub and having a plurality of cam surfaces, outwardly movable rollers onsaid surfaces, an oscillating frame for moving said rollers on saidsurfaces to engage the peripheral wall of said recess, a lever connectedto said frame and projectin'g beyond the reel for rotating said frame inthe direction to retract said rollers, a brake shoe disposed in saidconcentric groove and having a part engageable by said lever for urgingsaid shoe against the peripheral wall of said groove when the rollersare retracted, an axially movable shaft extending through the hole insaid hub, a radially extending member on each end of said shaft adjacentthe outer surface of the respective reel, a finger on each of saidmembers extending inwardly toward the respective reel, an abutment oneach reel engageable by the respective finger, a radially extending armfor rotating said shaft, and a spring means for axially positioning saidshaft and thereby disengaging said fingers from the abutment.

3. A device for controlling two separate anchors, comprising a basehaving a vertical plate-like support member, a hub extendingtransversely from side to side of said support member and having anaxial hole therethrough, reels rotatably mounted on said hub on oppositesides of said support member, each of said reels having an axial recesson the side thereof adjacent said support member, an annual part in saidrecess rigidly connected to said hub and having a plurality of camsurfaces, outwardly movable rollers on said surfaces, an oscillatingframe for moving said rollers to disengage the peripheral wall of saidrecess, a lever connected to said frame and projecting beyond the reelfor rotating said frame, a resilient means for urging said frame in thedirection to seat said rollers on said wall, an axially movable shaftextending through the hole in said hub, a radially extending member oneach end of said shaft adjacent the outer surface of the respectivereel, an abutment on each reel engageable by the respective lastmentioned member, a radially extending means for rotating said shaft,and springs on said shaft between each reel and the respective memberfor axially positioning said shaft and thereby disengaging said fingersfrom the abutments.

4. A device for controlling two separate anchors, comprising a basehaving a vertical support member, a hub extending transversely from sideto side of said support member and having an axial hole therethrough,reels rotatably mounted on said hub on opposite sides of said supportmember, each of said reels having an axial recess on the side thereofadjacent said support member, a clutch in said recess, an operatinglever connected to said clutch and projecting beyond the reel, anaxially movable shaft extending through the hole in said hub, a radiallyextending member on each end of said shaft adjacent the outer surface ofthe respective reel, an abutment on each reel engageable by therespective last mentioned member, a radially extending means forrotating said shaft, and springs on said shaft between each reel and therespective member for axially positioning said shaft and therebydisengaging said last mentioned members from the abutments.

5. A device for controlling two separate anchors, comprising a basehaving a support member, a hub extending transversely from side to sideof said support member and having an axial hole therethrough, reelsrotatably mounted on said hub on opposite sides of said support member,an axially movable shaft extending through the hole in said hub, aradially extending member on each end of said shaft adjacent the outersurface of the respective reel, an abutment on each reel engageable bythe respective last mentioned member, a radially extending means forrotating said shaft, and springs on said shaft between each reel and therespective member for axially positioning said shaft and therebydisengaging said last mentioned members from the abutments.

6. A device for controlling two separate anchors, com.- prising a basehaving a plate-like support member, a hub extending transversely fromside to side of said support member and having an axial holetherethrough, reels rotatably mounted on said hub on opposite sides ofsaid support member, an axially movable shaft extending through the holein said hub, a radially extending member on each half of said shaft, afinger on each of said members extending toward the respective reel, anabutment on each reel engageable by the respective finger, a radiallyextending arm for rotating said shaft, and spring means on said shaftfor axially positioning said shaft and thereby disengaging said fingersfrom the abutments.

7. A device for controlling two separate anchors, comprising a basehaving a support member, a hub on said support member having an axialhole therethrough, reels rotatably mounted on said hub, an axiallymovable shaft extending through the hole in said hub, a radiallyextending member on each half of said shaft, an abutment on each reelengageable by the respective last mentioned member, means for rotatingsaid shaft, and a spring means for axially positioning said shaft andthereby disengaging said last mentioned members from the abutments.

8. An anchor control device, comprising a base having a vertical supportmember, a hub mounted on said member, a reel rotatably mounted on saidhub and having an axial recess and a concentric annular groove on oneside, an annular part in said recess rigidly connected to said hub, aplurality of cam surfaces on said part, outwardly movable rollers onsaidsurfaces, an oscillating frame for moving said rollers on saidsurfaces to engage the peripheral wall of said recess, a lever connectedto said frame and projecting beyond the reel for rotating said frame, aresilient means for urging said frame in the direction to seat therollers on said wall, a brake shoe disposed in said concentric grooveand having a part engageable by said lever [for urging said shoe againstthe peripheral Wall of said groove when the rollers are disengaged fromthe recess Wall, and an arm for rotating said reel.

9. A11 anchor control device, comprising a base having a support member,a hub mounted on said member, a

reel rotatably mounted on said hub and having an axial recess and aconcentric annular groove on one side, a clutch in said recess, a leverfor operating said clutch, a brake shoe disposed in said concentricgroove and having a part engageable by said lever for urging said shoeagainst a wall of said groove when the clutch is disengaged, and a meansfor rotating said reel.

10. An anchor control device, comprising a base having a support member,a hub mounted on said member, a reel rotatably mounted on said hub andhaving an axial recess and a concentric annular groove on one side, apart in said recess rigidly connected to said hub, a plurality of camsurfaces on said part, outwardly movable rollers on said surfaces, anoscillating frame for moving said rollers on said surfaces to engage theperipheral wall of said recess, a lever connected to said frame andprojecting beyond the reel for rotating said frame, a resilient meansfor urging said frame in the direction to seat the roller on said wall,and an arm for rotating said reel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS493,446 Protzman Mar. 14, 1893 769,908 Hunt Sept. 13, 1904 787,444 HallApr. 18, 1905 881,772 Canney Mar. 10, 1908 930,390 Kneisley Aug. 10,1909 1,111,089 Parker Sept. 22, 1914 2,442,211 Rice May 25, 19482,530,586 Smith Nov. 21, 1950 2,535,318 Ratcliife Dec. 26, 1950

